Kennedy Years Election of 1960 The Candidates Richard
- Slides: 8
Kennedy Years
Election of 1960 - The Candidates Richard Nixon (R) More experience u. Ike’s popularity u. Face for Radio u John F. Kennedy (D) Inexperienced u. Charismatic u. Youthful - Camelot u • similar positions on many issues 1 st TV prez debate – NEW POLITICS • Kennedy “wins” debate & election – controversy. . . • youngest elected prez @ 43 - 1 st Catholic • New Frontier: policies of JFK - Peace Corps, Alliance for Progress, Tough on Communism.
The Cuban Dilemma ► 1959 Cuban Revolution – Castro overthrows Batista (US friendly Dictator) ► 1960 Fidel Castro: “I’m Communist” § Aligned with USSR- 90 miles from United States § Takes U. S. properties § US: Stop the spread of § communism
Counter Revolution in Cuba • Operation Mongoose • 1961 Cuban exiles/CIA plan invasion: GOAL…. . Overthrow Castro- Bay of Pigs Invasion • Plans go wrong – AIRPOWER – exile forces killed/taken prisoner • RESULT: Humiliation
The Berlin Crisis n 1961: 20% of Germans flee to W. Berlin – Impact on East? n Khrushchev: close access roads to W. Berlin n RESULT: USSR isolates W. Berlin from E. Germany w/ Berlin Wall n JFK did little
A young woman and her boyfriend talking to the woman’s mother, who is on the east side of the Berlin Wall (1962).
Space Race!! April 1961 - Yuri A. Gagarin (USSR): first in space u May 1961 - Alan Shepard (USA): first American in space u July 1969 Neil Armstrong (USA): 1 st to walk on moon u
